recommendations for a station to hang out for a couple of hours and see as many 555s as possible?

[1D54]

Good afternoon.

Any recommendations for a station to hang out for a couple of hours and see as many 555s as possible? Favorable stabling locations would also be a big help. A day in Newcastle is long overdue. All help much appreciated and thank you in advance.

 

[390Trains]

Good afternoon.

Any recommendations for a station to hang out for a couple of hours and see as many 555s as possible? Favorable stabling locations would also be a big help. A day in Newcastle is long overdue. All help much appreciated and thank you in advance.

To see as many as possible, you need to be somewhere along the core (South Gosforth - Pelaw).

• My overall favourite: Felling - West Jesmond and Ilford Road are a close second and third respectively
• My underground favourite: Haymarket
• If you want to speak to the drivers: South Gosforth

In the core, trains run approximately every 6 minutes.

 

[1D54]

Excellent suggestions 390Trains. Thanks very much.

 

[390Trains]

Excellent suggestions 390Trains. Thanks very much.

The other stations I'd recommend outside the core are:

• Green line
  • Airport Branch: Bank Foot, Callerton Parkway
  • Sunderland Branch: St Peter's
• Yellow Line
  • Tynemouth
  • Howdon - lots of ASB here, but a nice level crossing

If you want some lineside recommendations, I'm happy to provide them. I'm just conscious that you asked specifically for stations.

Each of those stations sees a 12 minute service in each direction. This reduces to a 15 minute service in the evenings and on Sundays.

 

[tez thorn]

The other stations I'd recommend outside the core are:

• Green line
  • Airport Branch: Bank Foot, Callerton Parkway
  • Sunderland Branch: St Peter's
• Yellow Line
  • Tynemouth
  • Howdon - lots of ASB here, but a nice level crossing

If you want some lineside recommendations, I'm happy to provide them. I'm just conscious that you asked specifically for stations.

Each of those stations sees a 12 minute service in each direction. This reduces to a 15 minute service in the evenings and on Sundays.

Benton Square and South Wellfield spring to mind on the Yellow Line

 

[1D54]

The other stations I'd recommend outside the core are:

• Green line
  • Airport Branch: Bank Foot, Callerton Parkway
  • Sunderland Branch: St Peter's
• Yellow Line
  • Tynemouth
  • Howdon - lots of ASB here, but a nice level crossing

If you want some lineside recommendations, I'm happy to provide them. I'm just conscious that you asked specifically for stations.

Each of those stations sees a 12 minute service in each direction. This reduces to a 15 minute service in the evenings and on Sundays.

More things to be taken into consideration and very grateful for it. Is Gosforth depot worth taking time to look for vantage points? I'll be on a day ticket so no great loss if not.

 

[Trackman]

And here is me thinking the thread was about 47 555's

 

[Chilternblue]

On a couple of occasion, I find that 2 hours at South Gosforth station, would be enough time before the diagrams start repeating themselves. As for the depot, I walked from the station and viewed from the footbridge at the eastern end, before walking back to the station and catching a train to Regent Circus, the western end of the depot can be viewed from the road (Cul de sac) that runs parallel with the depot, binoculars needed for both locations.

 

[47403]

Pelaw's a good shout. Also few shops there, a short walk away to stock up, canny chippy there too.
Not only that, you will get to see the Lynemouth to Tyne Dock workings if you time it right and passing Northern units too.

 

[47403]

And here is me thinking the thread was about 47 555's

Not a joke for the teenagers but I laughed

 

[Willie Bee]

How about Northumberland Park

Not as many Metro trains, when compared to the South Gosforth - Pelaw section, but there's the added bonus of seeing some Northern Rail trains on the recently opened Newcastle to Ashington line.

You could even take the train there from Newcastle mainline station (NCL)

 

[Kite159]

I've used Gateshead Stadium in the past. Also good view of the regular railway line for Northern 156+158s.

Just beware some of the unit numbers can be hard to read if at speed and the carriage numbers are quite low down and get blocked from easy view by the platform edge.

 

[47403]

How about Northumberland Park

Not as many Metro trains, when compared to the South Gosforth - Pelaw section, but there's the added bonus of seeing some Northern Rail trains on the recently opened Newcastle to Ashington line.

You could even take the train there from Newcastle mainline station (NCL)

I haven't been up to Northumberland Park yet, similar to Pelaw though. Maybe do both. Have a ride up towards Airport and you'll pass the Metro Depot. You could get a North East Day Saver from the Ticket Machines for £7.50 at Newcastle Central Metro station, covers the full metro map and Northern trains from Newcastle to Metrocentre and Sunderland.
One pub I will recommend, if you like a beer, is the Boathouse, just off Wylam Station. Should you get Metro blindness and wish to go out a bit further. Its been a while since I was last there but they did some good food too. A Metrocentre to Wylam return wont cost the earth. I put a link in for the Boathouse beneath here.

The Boathouse https://share.google/LYD2cJg4W9igvsLfa

Anything else, I can help with, just ask away.

 

[MidlandRailfan]

Hi - I’m on the Metro in early September and was thinking of pulling in a ‘rush hour’ move at South Gosforth between 16.00 and 18.00…

With my limited knowledge of the network, I would like to know if this is a profitable site, and am I correct in saying that there are 12 green line and 15 yellow line diagrams in a given day?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated…many thanks.

 

[Tramfan]

Hi - I’m on the Metro in early September and was thinking of pulling in a ‘rush hour’ move at South Gosforth between 16.00 and 18.00…
With my limited knowledge of the network, I would like to know if this is a profitable site, and am I correct in saying that there are 12 green line and 15 yellow line diagrams in a given day?
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated…many thanks.

12 green line (101-112) and 16 yellow line (121-136) on a weekday

 

[MidlandRailfan]

12 green line (101-112) and 16 yellow line (121-136) on a weekday

…great stuff - thanks for the reply pal ✔️

 

[50002Superb]

Hi - I’m on the Metro in early September and was thinking of pulling in a ‘rush hour’ move at South Gosforth between 16.00 and 18.00…

With my limited knowledge of the network, I would like to know if this is a profitable site, and am I correct in saying that there are 12 green line and 15 yellow line diagrams in a given day?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated…many thanks.

South Gosforth tends to be my “go to” station for the Metro workings

 

[geoffk]

I've not visited the North East for a while but understood that photography on the Metro wasn't exactly welcomed. What's the current situation please?

 

[Willie Bee]

I've not visited the North East for a while but understood that photography on the Metro wasn't exactly welcomed. What's the current situation please?

I have often seen folk taking pictures / videos from Metro stations, both on underground station platforms as well as on the overground ones.

Funnily enough, a few years ago I took several videos, from the front seat of the 'old ' trains. I had probably taken about 4 or 5, then one day at South Gosforth, the drivers changed and the new one opened his wee cab door and said to me that I wasn't allowed to film. I asked why .. it's the rule he said.

I got off at the next stop (Regent's Centre) and heard an announcement over the tanny "Filming isn't allowed" .. the driver had obviously contacted his boss.

I got on the train and headed back to South Gosforth, where the Nexus Offices are located. I asked if I could film and was given a typed letter of consent within about 5 minutes by a very helpful member of staff. I continued filming that day but was never stopped again. On hindsight, I should have waited for the same driver to return, but at the time, I never thought about that.

Several more times I asked for a permit and filmed, but again I was never stopped, or even asked what I was doing.

Obviously, that first driver was just having a bad day .. or maybe he could be classed as a jobsworth.

The moral .. maybe better to ask Nexus first before filming

 

[Segedunum]

I've not visited the North East for a while but understood that photography on the Metro wasn't exactly welcomed. What's the current situation please?

Highly unlikely to have an issue unless you're loitering on a staffed station with a lot of equipment. Considering the interest in the retirement in the old stock the approach has somewhat softened. Just keep yourself well out of the way (or pick somewhere quiet like Ilford Road) and don't bother with underground stations unless its a quick casual snap.

Of course there are a few staff (who've typically been in the job too long and have a poor attitude to many passengers, not just enthusiasts) who will take exception and try to enforce the rule - in which case your best bet is just stop and go somewhere else. Control have better things to do then cause grief for someone taking photos of trains.

 

[StoneRoad]

I believe one of the possible reasons for this ban was the danger of flash dazzling drivers, plus "security" concerns at various times in the past.
That, and something for jobsworths to play with !

 

[MidlandRailfan]

South Gosforth tends to be my “go to” station for the Metro workings

…thanks for the nod pal

 

[800001]

…thanks for the nod pal

I found Ilford Road to be a good station when I went hunting my 555s.

 

[geoffk]

I believe one of the possible reasons for this ban was the danger of flash dazzling drivers, plus "security" concerns at various times in the past.
That, and something for jobsworths to play with !

Photographers really shouldn't be using flash on the railway (and with modern digi cameras it's not needed anyway).

 

[StoneRoad]

Photographers really shouldn't be using flash on the railway (and with modern digi cameras it's not needed anyway).

Precisely !
Although the "ban" probably pre-dates decent / affordable digi cameras.

However, my point-n-shoot has to be told to suppress the flash when on "automatic" ... which can be a PITA.

 

[MidlandRailfan]

I found Ilford Road to be a good station when I went hunting my 555s.

…thanks mate

 

[Sultan1056]

Not a joke for the teenagers but I laughed

Me too!

 

[bramling]

I've not visited the North East for a while but understood that photography on the Metro wasn't exactly welcomed. What's the current situation please?

It’s still something of a shade of grey, however seems to have softened from 10-15 years ago.

Essentially the practical position is:-

Most of the system is unstaffed, and even where there is a staff presence they are thinly spread. So on that basis alone you are unlikely to be challenged on the majority of the system. At those staffed locations, in particularly South Gosforth, there’s more chance of being pulled up, although it’s less likely a big issue will be made of it compared to in the past.

There remains the secondary issue that the nature of the system and some of the areas it serves means use of cameras can attract attention from others. In general people taking photos of the metro is less typical than on other railways in Britain, hence there’s an element of suspicion, and with the platforms being quite small and cramped in a lot of cases this accentuates this. So it’s necessary to be more streetwise than might be the case elsewhere.

In reality just crack on, but keep the above points in mind.

 

[Kite159]

They will rather go after someone taking photos than gangs of feral youths messing around causing a nuisance/vaping on trains. Although I did have a ticket check yesterday after South Gosforth heading towards the Coast.

Central Station has decent WiFi if you ever have time there, it's a lot quieter at the Gateshead end of the platforms with the passageway for the lifts.

 

[47403]

Theres plenty places to get pics. Ive never had a problem. Might be different in peak times.